Flexible shaft



(No Model.)

'T. GARE.

FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

No. 398,065. Patented Nov. 20, 1888.

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UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

THOMAS GARE, OF STOCKPORT, COUNTY OF CHESTER, ENGLAND.

FLEXIBLE'SHAFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,065, dated November 20, 1888.

Application filed April 1:), 1887. Serial No. 234.552.

(No model.) Patented in England November 5, 1884, No. 14,617, and

May 30, 1885, No. 6,588; in France April 14, 1885, No.168.257; in Belgium April 16, 1885, No. 68,546; in Germany May 3, I885, No. 81,102; in Austria-Hungary May 7, 1885, No. 36,341 and No. 65,617, and in Italy July 15,1885, No. 18.637.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS GARE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Stockport, in the county of Chester, Kingdom of Great Britain, boot and shoe manufacturer, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Flexible Shafts, (for which I have obtained patents partly relating to same in Great Britain, No. 14,617, November 5, 1884, and No. 6,588, May 30, 1885; in France, No. 168,257, April 14, 1885; in Belgium, No. 68,546, April 16, 1885; in Germany,No. 34,102, May 3, 1885; in Italy, No. 18,637, July 15, 1885; and in Austria-Hungary, Nos. 36,347 and 65,617, May 7,1885,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in flexible shafts employed in the transmission of rotary power or motion, and has for its objects to produce a flexible shaft which is of a simpler construction, possesses a greater amount of flexibility and strength in comparison to size, and can be rotated at a greater speed than heretofore has been the case. I attain these objects partly by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is partly a side view and partly a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 a cross section, of my improved flexible shaft.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the figures.

Theimproved flexible shaft A, I form of two layers of steel bars, of flat section, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) a a, one placed tightly within the other, the inner layer, a, being wound on its edge or narrower side and the outer layer, a, on its flat or wider side. The inner layer thus being at a less pitch than the outer layer, a,

is more flexible than the latter, which is very essential, owing to the difference in the curvature to which the layers are subject in the working of the shaft.

The strength and flexibility of the described construction of shaft may be varied at pleasure, according to circumstances, by respectively increasing or decreasing the section of the steel bars in. flatness.

I am aware that prior to my invention flexible shafts have been made by twisting together several strands of steel wire, over which are lapped one or more layers of steel Wire in the same or in a reverse direction to each other and enveloped with leather or other flexible material. This construction of shaft is very expensive, bulky, does not afford the required strength and flexibility, soon loses its elasticity and strength, owing to the several strands of wire continuously wearing on each other, thus does not straighten itself after being bent, and cannot be run at a high speed, owing to its bucking and whipping. I therefore do not claim such combinations, broadly; but

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a flexible shaft, the combination of an innerand an outer layer of cylindrically-wound steel bars, a and a, of flat section, the inner layer, a, being wound on its edge or narrower side and the outer layer, a, on its flat or wider side, as set forth.

llIa-nchester, Lancaster, England.

THOMAS GARE.

In presence of- FERDINAND BOSSHARDT, THOMAS A. FoULKEs. 

